Hi Everyone, I am just getting started here. So I read Challenge #1~~~logical place to start!! Anyway, guess what I did this morning?? Decided to only use 1 tea of sugar in my morning tea. And then I come on here and what is challenge #1??? So that will be my first goal to work on. I have tried other challenges before, and they can get overwhelming. I liked that you said take one week, two, three or four, whatever we need to accomplish each goal. Thank you for the team and challenges. And most of all, thank you for the non-pressure of accomplishing everything at once.

Hi I just found this challenge. It must take a year or more to find everything on this site. There is so much info. Anyway I am tracking every day - I even track the foods that I'm ashamed to say I ate. But because I do track I am gradually shifting away from the fattest foods and looking for less fatty foods. I read nutrition labels on every food I buy so I do not bring home food that is not the best for me and my family.

Hi all! Marion said she was having trouble finding my spinach dip recipe, and I think I figured it out. If you leave out the hyphens and the comma it should come up. So it should look like this when you type it: Low fat low cal spinach dip.

Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.

Thanks, Mari! It was huge for me because I was a two can a day drinker. When I started working out I decided to just drink one a day. Then one day I forgot my soda at home and didnt want to pay 1.50 - cheap skate. And I didnt miss it ~ so I decided that I could go for day two and did and then on day three I was like ummm I kinda want one today. So I decided two a week is a huge improvement. Yay! And Ive stuck with that. Then this morning I tried the sugar free french vanilla - super yummy and had one packet of the zero calorie sweetener. And it was pretty darn good. So that is what Im gonna do from now on. Yay. Baby steps lead to big steps. Thanks for the support and the emails. Sometimes I wonder if people really read these posts. I guess they do. Thanks for the gift too :)

"You know you are in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." Dr. Seuss

Awesome challenge! I am using the tracker and I plan out the menus for the week. I am getting in my fruits and veggies daily I average 5 a day. I have been taking a nutrition class and today is graduation day from that class. I have to leave for it in 5 minutes.

~ Leader of Tortoises Unite! - Losing Weight Slowly! Spark Team ~ Co-Leader of SP's Social Team for Team Leaders and CT Members Spark Team

This sounds like a good challenge. I have been wanting to make my coffee healthier. I have already taken soda out of my diet. I allow two diet sodas a week. Then I dont feel deprived. I have noticed changes in my clothes and my stomach is getting smaller which is one of my biggest problem areas, but I still have only lost 2 pounds and its driving me crazy. Any suggestions?? Its been three weeks. Has anyone else had this problem? Frustrating. I drink one cup of coffee and water the rest of the day.

"You know you are in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." Dr. Seuss

I have been looking for other items that are easy to fix for breakfast and a variety. I usually have oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon and a cup of milk. I like this challenge and I will be trying to make more healthy choices.

Whether you eat breakfast daily or can’t remember the last time you munched in the morning, almost everyone can attest to the plethora of unhealthy breakfast habits that can ruin your day and your diet. Here’s some food for thought to help you break free from breakfast habits that keep you from performing your best. in the Food Fight.

Unfortunately, knowing which foods are better for you doesn’t always factor into making healthy mealtime choices. According to a recent study conducted by Weight Watchers® Smart Ones®,1 in 4 Americans concede that they choose to eat an unhealthy breakfast.

Smart Piece of Advice: When confronting breakfast options, try fighting the urge to eat poorly and choose foods that will stick with you and give you an extra boost in the morning. Here are some great healthy breakfasts you'll love to enjoy:

• Yogurt with a low fat granola cereal topping and fruit

• Cereal with 3g or more of dietary fiber per serving, skim milk, and fresh fruit or 100% juice

Sometimes, We Need A Little Routine. Think a morning routine is boring? Think again! You can’t maintain a healthy lifestyle if you don’t start off with a good breakfast. Twenty five percent of Americans admit that they sometimes skip breakfast, destroying any chance to get the nutrition needed to fuel the day. Not only has a healthy breakfast been reported to boost energy levels, but it also lays a foundation of good eating habits that will lead to better choices throughout the day.

Mind Your Leftovers. Just because food is available or free does not mean it will yield a sufficient breakfast! In the Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® survey, 14 percent of Americans noted that they ate whatever was left out for breakfast, whether at home or in the office.

Know Your Serving Size. Twenty five percent of Americans feel they either eat too much or too little in the morning. There’s a simple trick to nip those habits in the bud: when you feel satisfied, stop eating!

Early Calories Are Good Calories. Eating breakfast early may help you eat fewer calories later in the day. A study at the University of Texas at El Paso found that a given number of calories consumed earlier in the day are more filling than the same number of calories eaten later on; decreasing overall calorie consumption. Researchers in this study analyzed the weekly food diaries of nearly 900 adults. They consistently found that when more calories were consumed in the morning, calorie intake for the entire day was less than those participants who skipped breakfast. And the more calories consumed in the evening, the larger the daily calorie intake. Researchers even say that the body’s ability to recognize when it’s full is stronger in the morning than the evening, providing a sense of a.m. satiety lacking later in the day. Consequently, depriving yourself of food throughout the day may be a setup for overeating at night. The bottom line: Eat a healthy breakfast, and don’t skip lunch.

It has to do with letting go of the old and forming new and healthier eating habits. ....

This is a Small Steps Challenge which means we take one small unhealthy habit and change it to a healthier one. We take as long as we need. No giant steps or huge leaps here!!

At the beginning of each week there will be posted here 3 choices for changing.

You just need to only choose one & make your commitment right here.

Each challenge will run from Sat to Sat. If, at the end of the week, you feel you want to go on to another challenge you can. If not you can continue into the 2nd week and 3rd week and 4th week until you are ready for another change.

This is not a contest about how fast you can make changes or how many you can make as fast as you can. This is about committing to , learning & forming a healthier lifestyle.

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Week #1 April 7th - April 13th:

Use 1 serving of sugar in your morning coffee/tea in stead of 2

OR

Change your morning toast from white bread to a whole grain

OR

Change the butter on your morning toast to a healthier butter substitute

Good Luck Everyone All of these can be tracked on your personal nutrition tracker

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